A dog daycare employee in Washington, D.C., has been charged with cruelty to animals for allegedly kicking a puppy to death six months ago, federal prosecutors said.
Adriano Demorais, 33, of Prince George’s County, Md., was arrested and arraigned Tuesday at a hearing in D.C.
The shocking indecent unfolded on Feb. 16 while Demorais worked the overnight shift at a District Dogs location in the Navy Yard neighborhood of southeast D.C., the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a news release.
Demorais was trying to feed some dogs at the doggy daycare facility when he became frustrated with an energetic 5-month-old mountain cur-German shepherd mix named Bronny.
Bronny was near Demorais’ feet when the employee “forcefully kicked” the puppy in the left side of his stomach.
After circling the room for approximately 10 seconds, Bronny collapsed and had to be taken to a veterinarian facility, where he was later pronounced dead.
Investigators said Demorais admitted to striking the dog, “claiming he kicked Bronny out of frustration over Bronny becoming too energetic while Demorais was trying to feed dogs,” officials said.
A necropsy report later confirmed that Bronny’s cause of death was blunt abdominal trauma with subsequent hemorrhagic shock, court documents show.
Demorais, who was fired shortly after the incident, was arrested Tuesday following an investigation led by the Humane Rescue Alliance.
“Our hearts ache for the tragic loss of Bronny, and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family,” Chris Schindler, HRA’s senior VP of animal welfare, field response and rescue told the Daily News in an email.
Jacob Hensley, District Dogs founder and CEO, said the company continues to cooperate with law enforcement in this matter, “as we have from the beginning.”
“Our hearts remain with the family of Bronny,” Hensley told The News.
Demorais faces up to five years in prison if convicted.
